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State Library of New South Wales

Rivers and Catchments

Parramatta River

Major tributary of Sydney Harbour, which flows east from Blacktown Creek to meet Port Jackson between Greenwich and Birchgrove. The river is tidal to Charles Street Weir at Parramatta, 30 kilometres from Sydney Heads.

Parramatta

Western suburb built on the land of the Burramattagal people. Sydney's second European settlement, it began as a government farm in 1788 and has many heritage listed sites. It is now the commercial hub of Greater Western Sydney.

Parramatta Gaol 1802

The second gaol on the site, it was constructed over two storeys with local sandstone. The upper rooms of 80 feet by 20 feet each held weaving looms and the convict women worked and slept amongst the wool bales. It quickly became overcrowded.